Kubrick’s inspiration for 2001

Kubrick is hailed as a genius, but as Isaac Newton said in 1675, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”

In 1960, the National Film Board of Canada produced a film that followed the work of Ontario astronomer Donald MacRae. Universe introduced us to the planets and neighboring heavenly bodies as understood even before John Glenn’s first orbital flight.

Kubrick saw the film and was inspired to do a space movie, which became 2001: A Space Odyssey. He even used the narrator of the documentary, Douglas Rain, as the voice of HAL 9000.

Give it a watch and see almost shot-for-shot where Kubrick got his camera ideas, pacing, and tone.